A Trio of Oregon Spring Adventures
Last May (yes, as in an entire year ago), we had a busy month full of Oregon adventures. We kicked off the month with waterfalls and snow in the Umpqua National Forest after Harrison told us he wanted a “benture.” Later in the month, Brandon and I celebrated our 4th anniversary with a night away in Yachats, one of our new favorite spots on the coast. I ended the month with a bucket list adventure with one of my best friends to the hike-in Paradise Lodge along the Rogue River.
Umpqua “bentures”
One of the things I hope to instill in my son is a sense of adventure and a love for exploration. So when, on a Friday evening in early May, he requested to have a family adventure to play in the snow, we made it happen. We headed east along the Diamond Lake highway, one of the most scenic drives in the state, in my humble opinion, as it winds along the Umpqua River. We stopped for brunch at the Steamboat Inn, where we enjoyed a cozy meal while enjoying the view of the garden and river. My recommendation is to try the smoked salmon hash.
Sufficiently full, we completed two easy waterfall hikes - Watson Falls and Toketee Falls. Both are short hikes that are perfect for little legs. These hikes are also close enough together to combine for a morning or afternoon of hiking. Best of all, both hikes are simply gorgeous.
And then we had to find some snow. Because that’s a thing you can do in May in the Cascades. There is so much to see along this gorgeous stretch of road, including Crater Lake, Diamond Lake, Mount Thielson, additional waterfall hikes, and the North Umpqua Trail. I know there will be more “bentures” here in our future.
Yachats
For our fourth anniversary, Brandon and I decided at the last minute to get away to the coast, childfree. After considering revisiting one of our favorite spots, we decided to go somewhere new instead. Thankfully, there was still availability for an ocean view room at The Drift Inn because Yachats would soon be added to our favorite spots list. After dropping off our son with the grandparents, we began the drive to the coast. We stopped for lunch at 1285 Restobar in Florence because any day with lobster ravioli is a good one. It only made sense for our next stop to be Cape Perpetua where we could burn some calories with a hike to the top. You can actually drive, but I like dragging Brandon up mountains and the view is better when you work for it.
On a clear day, there is an unparalleled view of the coastline. There is more to do here if you have time (see this post for more), but we were ready to relax, so we made our way to Yachats. The rest of the weekend was spent watching the ocean, walking along the beach, and eating excellent food. I didn’t have a lot of expectations, but quickly fell in love with the quaint seaside town. The Drift Inn was romantic and quirky, there was an outsized amount of delicious restaurants, and everything we wanted to do was within walking distance. I doubt this will be our last visit to this part of the Oregon coast.
Paradise lodge
I ended the month with a destination that has been on my bucket list for years. Paradise Lodge cannot be reached by road and is one of a handful of lodges along the breathtaking Rogue River Trail. These lodges open seasonally and serve as overnight spots for food and lodging for folks looking to raft down the river without having to camp. Paradise Lodge is probably the “fanciest” of the lodges and has hosted multiple celebrities (Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon to name two) and at least one former president. If you’re not on a guided rafting trip, the lodge is accessible either by hiking the 3 miles from the end of the “road” along the Rogue River Trail (more explanation on the quotations in a minute) or by taking a jet boat from the other end of the Rogue River Trail. The trail itself is, in part, a 40 mile remnant of the mule paths used to connect the outside world with the many small communities that grew up along the river during the height of the gold rush.
Okay, back to my adventure. To celebrate my birthday, my friend Kacy and I booked one night at the lodge. We met in the small town of Glendale and began the drive to the trailhead. The curvy, but paved, roads soon gave way to curvy gravel roads which eventually turned into barely maintained mountain roads with potholes bigger than me. At one point, there was a piece of logging equipment almost entirely blocking the road. Kacy stood on the side of a literal cliff to guide me as I drove through the sliver of road between the truck and certain death. When I say that I had anxiety. Whew. Before tackling the last, and worst, few miles, we stopped at the Rogue River Ranch, which may be the most isolated museum I’ve ever been to, but also serves as an ideal spot for a picnic.
Despite my nerves, we finally made it to the actual end of the road at the Marial Trailhead, about 25 miles from the easternmost point of the Rogue River Trail, and began the hike. The trail is stunning so the hike went by all too quickly. Before we knew it, we arrived at this lovely wilderness retreat.
It was truly paradise - no cell service, limited Wi-Fi, a cozy cabin by the river, all inclusive gourmet meals. It was a dream for two tired, working moms who just wanted some time to catch up as friends. The lodge can accommodate larger groups and is often booked to capacity during the busiest days of the (permit only) rafting season. This evening, though, there were only a handful of others, all of whom were repeat visitors. The rooms only have power until a short time after dinner (although there are battery operated lights in the en suite bathrooms), but that was fine by me. I fell asleep to the sound of the rushing river and woke up more rested than I had been in a long time. The next morning, we had plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast and to explore in and around the property before beginning the hike back to our car and the drive back to civilization. We again stopped at the Rogue River Ranch, this time to enjoy the brown bag lunches packed for us before we left, and to fortify ourselves for the nerve wracking drive. I had the best 24 hours with one of my best friends. It was the perfect way to celebrate a new year of my life. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys hiking and the outdoors, especially if you like a splash of comfort in the mix.
I love my far flung trips and exotic adventures. And I also love that there is so much to see and do right here in Oregon. Whether you have a day, a weekend, or a week, there is always a new place to explore or an old favorite to revisit. We are fortunate to have a wealth of beautiful and interesting places at our doorstep.